Global Patent Index - EP 3590899 A1

EP 3590899 A1 20200108 - UPWARD COLLAPSE PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING GLASS PREFORMS

Title (en)

UPWARD COLLAPSE PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING GLASS PREFORMS

Title (de)

AUFWÄRTSKLAPPVERFAHREN UND -VORRICHTUNG ZUR HERSTELLUNG VON GLASVORFORMEN

Title (fr)

PROCÉDÉ D'AFFAISSEMENT VERS LE HAUT ET APPAREIL DE FABRICATION DE PRÉFORMES DE VERRE

Publication

EP 3590899 A1 20200108 (EN)

Application

EP 19192539 A 20171115

Priority

  • US 201662425274 P 20161122
  • EP 17201823 A 20171115

Abstract (en)

An apparatus and related process for producing large glass preforms with minimal clad to-core waveguide distortion from a glass body having a weight, an outer surface, core rods, and a cladding surrounding and separated from the core rods by a gap. The apparatus includes collars affixed to the top and bottom of the cladding; a first unit holding and supporting the bottom collar; a second unit holding and supporting the top collar; and a frame defining a heating zone having a heating element to heat the glass body, collapse the cladding onto the core rods, close the gap, and create the glass preform. The weight of the glass body above and below the molten glass in the heating zone is supported by the first and second units without contacting the outer surface of the glass body, wherein the bottom collar holder and vacuum unit is adapted to be moved at a precisely controlled velocity V1 in the vertical direction and the top collar holder and vacuum unit is adapted to be moved at a precisely controlled velocity V2 in the vertical direction, such that when a vacuum is applied from either the bottom collar holder and vacuum unit or the top collar holder and vacuum unit, the top collar, the cladding and the core rods can be collapsed to form the glass preform.

IPC 8 full level

C03B 37/012 (2006.01)

CPC (source: CN EP KR US)

C03B 37/01211 (2013.01 - CN US); C03B 37/01245 (2013.01 - EP US); C03B 37/01248 (2013.01 - EP KR US); C03B 37/01257 (2013.01 - KR); C03B 37/0126 (2013.01 - EP KR US); C03B 37/01446 (2013.01 - CN); C03B 37/07 (2013.01 - KR); G01B 11/08 (2013.01 - US); G01B 11/25 (2013.01 - US); G02B 6/02 (2013.01 - US); H04B 10/2507 (2013.01 - US); G01N 21/412 (2013.01 - US); G06T 7/60 (2013.01 - US); Y02P 40/57 (2015.11 - KR US)

Citation (applicant)

  • US 2015012471 W 20150122
  • US 2014050368 W 20140808

Citation (search report)

Designated contracting state (EPC)

AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR

DOCDB simple family (publication)

EP 3323791 A1 20180523; EP 3323791 B1 20190828; CN 108083628 A 20180529; CN 108083628 B 20220726; DK 3323791 T3 20191021; EP 3590899 A1 20200108; JP 2018083751 A 20180531; JP 7090416 B2 20220624; KR 102475016 B1 20221206; KR 20180057529 A 20180530; US 11405107 B2 20220802; US 11811453 B2 20231107; US 2018145752 A1 20180524; US 2022286204 A1 20220908

DOCDB simple family (application)

EP 17201823 A 20171115; CN 201711129136 A 20171115; DK 17201823 T 20171115; EP 19192539 A 20171115; JP 2017220135 A 20171115; KR 20170152190 A 20171115; US 201715813669 A 20171115; US 202217824477 A 20220525